July 6

"When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume, among the Powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation." ~ Opening statement of The Declaration of Independence of The United States of America, composed primarily by Thomas Jefferson (Third of three from The Declaration of Independence or drafts of it, that were quoted July 4,5, & 6 of 2004)

Peace can only last where human rights are respected, where the people are fed, and where individuals and nations are free. True peace with oneself and with the world around us can only be achieved through the development of mental peace. ~ Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama (date of birth)

I believe that at every level of society — familial, tribal, national and international — the key to a happier and more successful world is the growth of compassion. We do not need to become religious, nor do we need to believe in an ideology. All that is necessary is for each of us to develop our good human qualities. ~ Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama

With the ever-growing impact of science on our lives, religion and spirituality have a greater role to play by reminding us of our humanity. There is no contradiction between the two. Each gives us valuable insights into the other. Both science and the teachings of the Buddha tell us of the fundamental unity of all things. This understanding is crucial if we are to take positive and decisive action on the pressing global concern with the environment. I believe all religions pursue the same goals, that of cultivating human goodness and bringing happiness to all human beings. Though the means might appear different the ends are the same.

It is very important to generate a good attitude, a good heart, as much as possible. From this, happiness in both the short term and the long term for both yourself and others will come. ~ Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama

I know some in Washington would like us to start leaving Iraq now. To begin withdrawing before our commanders tell us we are ready would be dangerous for Iraq, for the region, and for the United States. It would mean surrendering the future of Iraq to al Qaeda. It would mean that we'd be risking mass killings on a horrific scale. It would mean we'd allow the terrorists to establish a safe haven in Iraq to replace the one they lost in Afghanistan. It would mean increasing the probability that American troops would have to return at some later date to confront an enemy that is even more dangerous. ~ George W. Bush

2,5 because it came true. DanielTom (talk) 10:52, 4 March 2015 (UTC) #ThanksObama

2 ♞☤☮♌Kalki·†·⚓⊙☳☶⚡ 11:44, 5 July 2015 (UTC), The statement is certainly valid, and yet the ironical hypocrisies and stupidities innate in the general context of it being made are not easily apparent without very extensive commentary. The greatest enemy of all humanity is human stupidity which persists in absolutist forms of error. Some of the worst, most pervasive and pernicious forms of human stupidity are those forms of entrenched bigotry born of ignorance and confusion by which one person or group of persons declares other persons or groups of persons absolutely good or absolutely bad, and absolutist wars of absolutist enmities are so "justified" and so initiated and so fought, by many diverse parties thinking of themselves as absolutely good or entirely right, and others as absolutely bad and entirely wrong — and deserving of only contempt, and worthy only to be mercilessly punished or even exterminated — throughout the ages of human histories. Some people have enough wisdom, even in infancy to reject such pervasive forms of stupidity, and yet know that contending ably against the many forms of it which exists in others can be very dangerous and exhausting, and must be done wisely and with great grace. The wise seek to assert the ways of greatest grace and wise virtues, and know that this path is not always easy or simple or easily explained. Soitgoes…⨀∴☥☮♥∵ॐ… ~ ♞☤☮♌Kalki·†·⚓⊙☳☶⚡ 11:44, 5 July 2015 (UTC) + tweak

Certainly you seem to be setting up a straw man argument in apparently implying that I do. I simply state a few of my reasons for not ranking this very highly at this time, preferring quotes of the sage Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama and the able warrior Daniel Morgan to this person, who initiated a profoundly stupid act of aggression against a profoundly corrupt nation-state in profoundly corrupt and corruptive ways. That he afterward then makes the valid argument that one cannot easily withdraw from the mess created by mutually supportive forms of corruption and stupidity, without creating in many ways a fouler mess, shows he was cognizant of greater need of caution and reserve than he had when he initiated much of the most deadly and dangerous aspects of the mess. The seeds of ISIS/ISIL were sown by the destruction of the infrastructure if Iraq in the war of stupidities with stupidity which was stupidly initiated by this person against a nation on rather false and flimsy suppositions that it would be good for America and good for the world. I have no hatred of him as a human being, despite some of his more unfortunate stupidities, and yet I considered and still consider the invasion he initiated, on the whole, to have been a profoundly stupid, wasteful, act which endangered the world as a whole far more than it directly alleviated some of the problems caused by a brutally petty-minded and profoundly stupid and pernicious dictator. ~ ♞☤☮♌Kalki·†·⚓⊙☳☶⚡ 12:25, 5 July 2015 (UTC) + tweaks

You claim, "the seeds of ISIS/ISIL were sown by the destruction of the infrastructure if Iraq". The seeds of ISIS were sown by the Qur'an. You may recall that Americans bombed and invaded Germany in WW2, as well as other countries, including Japan (atomic bombings, followed by an occupation), and no movement similar to the Islamic State formed there—despite the "destruction of the infrastructure" (your words). And just as Americans funded much of the reconstruction of Europe after the war, so they did for Iraq. I actually am sorry, but sadly not surprised, to see you stoop so low as to blame ISIS on Bush, and in so doing betray your own system of ethics, and the most fundamental of moral principles, which is that of individual responsibility, in order to excuse what will go down in the history books as the holocaust of our time (which we are pretty much ignoring, just as our ancestors ignored the previous ones, to their disgrace). While I, like you and many others, was (and am) against the Iraq invasion (war), and recognize that it quite evidently destabilized the region, I at least am not so morally confused and deluded to the point of even considering blaming Bush for the actions of the jihadi barbarians—thousands of them from Western countries—who years later decided it's a good idea to try to establish a Caliphate and live in the 7th century, behead a couple of Americans, and kill an untold number of so-called infidels (mainly other muslims) in the process. Certainly as a self-proclaimed "anarchist", unless you're so racist as to think that Arabs are basically animals who can't control themselves and behave like moral agents, you should at least pretend to believe that the responsibility for the ongoing ISIS atrocities must ultimately lie with the individuals who commit them. ~ DanielTom (talk) 22:07, 6 July 2015 (UTC)

As to war, I am and always was a great enemy, at the same time a warrior the greater part of my life, and were I young again, should still be a warrior while ever this country should be invaded and I lived — a Defensive war I think a righteous war to Defend my life & property & that of my family, in my own opinion, is right & justifiable in the sight of God.
An offensive war, I believe to be wrong and would therefore have nothing to do with it, having no right to meddle with another man's property, his ox or his ass, his man servant or his maid servant or anything that is his. Neither does he have a right to meddle with anything that is mine, if he does I have a right to defend it by force.

As to war, I am and always was a great enemy, at the same time a warrior the greater part of my life, and were I young again, should still be a warrior while ever this country should be invaded and I lived … An offensive war, I believe to be wrong and would therefore have nothing to do with it, having no right to meddle with another man's property, his ox or his ass, his man servant or his maid servant or anything that is his.

Reason well from the beginning and then there will never be any need to look back with confusion and doubt.

Within the body there are billions of different particles. Similarly, there are many different thoughts and a variety of states of mind. It is wise to take a close look into the world of your mind and to make the distinction between beneficial and harmful states of mind. Once you can recognize the value of good states of mind, you can increase or foster them.

I am optimistic that the ancient values that have sustained mankind are today reaffirming themselves to prepare us for a kinder, happier twenty-first century.
I pray for all of us, oppressor and friend, that together we succeed in building a better world through human understanding and love, and that in doing so we may reduce the pain and suffering of all sentient beings.

I believe all suffering is caused by ignorance. People inflict pain on others in the selfish pursuit of their happiness or satisfaction. Yet true happiness comes from a sense of inner peace and contentment, which in turn must be achieved through the cultivation of altruism, of love and compassion and elimination of ignorance, selfishness and greed.
The problems we face today, violent conflicts, destruction of nature, poverty, hunger, and so on, are human-created problems which can be resolved through human effort, understanding and the development of a sense of brotherhood and sisterhood. We need to cultivate a universal responsibility for one another and the planet we share.
Although I have found my own Buddhist religion helpful in generating love and compassion, even for those we consider our enemies, I am convinced that everyone can develop a good heart and a sense of universal responsibility with or without religion.